The Ones Who Love
by Neak Temhota
Summary: This is an alternate ending to the 2004 movie, The Phantom of the Opera. This begins after Christine kisses Erik. M rated for future chapters. EC.
1. Hope

A/N: **This story begins after Christine kisses Erik. This is an alternate ending to the 2004 movie. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of The Phantom of the Opera, they belong to Susan Kay, ALW, Gaston Leroux and anyone else I forgot at the moment. **

**Without further ado, I give you Chapter One!**

**Chapter One:Hope**

Christine looked up into the eyes of her angel and saw how hurt he felt. She had betrayed him by helping in trying to catch him. She had agreed to marry the Vicomte behind his back, and now she was standing before him after giving him two loving kisses. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was just looking down at her, regrettting every wrong thing he had done to her. Shouting could be heard in the distance and he knew that if he let them leave now that they might escape.

He dropped the rope that was around Raoul's neck and started to wade out of the lake, telling them to leave him and never come back. Christine could only stand there dumbfounded. She didn't move to go untie Raoul, but turned to see where Erik had gone to. She walked silently into the room to hear him softly singing to his music box. She felt tears slide down her porceline white cheeks as she heard the sadness in his voice. His tear streaked face looked up at her and she knew that she wasn't meant to be with Raoul, but was meant for her angel.

_"Christine, I love you,"_ he sung very softly. Looking down at the ring on her finger, she walked over to him. His gaze never left her face as she picked up his hand, cradling it in her small one. He stared at their hands as she entwined her fingers with his. Pulling him to a standing position, she kissed him with more passion then ever before.

When she broke the kiss due to lack of air, all he could do was stare at her. Wrapping his arms around her, he finally got to hold her in his strong embrace. Erik nuzzled his face into her hair, breathing in the scent of lavender. He felt new tears coming and he didn't stop them, knowing that any moment she would break away and run back to her precious Vicomte. He didn't care, wanting to enjoy the closeness while it lasted.

**xXx**

Back at the lake where Raoul was still tied up, the Vicomte was confused. Why had Chrisitne not came and untied him? Where was she? He struggled against the bounds that held him to the gate. The mob was approaching and if he didn't take Christine away from this place they would find them. Little did he know that Christine didn't want to go with him, she wanted to stay with Erik. He called out to her in hopes that she could hear him.

Erik heard his call and looked at Chrisitne with pain filled eyes. He was shocked to see her smiling up at him. "Go to him, Christine. I don't diserve you," he finally choked out. By the stunned look on her face, he could tell she didn't like the order. "No, I'm not leaving you!" she said, resting her hand on his chest. She could tell he was near tears, but she didn't want to leave him.

"Well, his screaming will tell the mob where we are," he said, trying to compose himself. She nodded but a frown creased her brow. "Christine?" Erik asked in a small voice, scared that she was rethinking her decision. "I don't know your name," she said in a small voice. He smiled at her through his tears. "My name is Erik, Erik Noir." She smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before bringing him out of the room and back out to the lake where Raoul was screaming.

A relieved look crossed his face as he saw his beloved Christine. It was quickly replaced by anger when he saw Erik wrap his arm around her waist protectively. He struggled against the rope that held him and Christine looked up at Erik, who walked over and cut them. Raoul lunged at him, but Erik was too quick. He had the rope around his neck in an instance.

Christine gasped, she had not been exspecting that. Erik made sure not to kill him, he wouldn't unless Christine wanted him to. "Listen, boy, if you ever show your face here again, you'll die," he said. Raoul looked at Christine, wondering why she didn't try to help him. "I won't leave Christine!" he said, trying to get the rope off of his neck, but to no avail. Erik tightened it, angry he didn't just give up.

Christine sighed and felt tears slide down her cheek. This would be the last time she saw her childhood sweetheart. "Raoul, do what he says. I want to stay here, I-I love him," she said, the last part a whisper. He heard it. "What!" he roared, angry at Erik. "So, this monster still has you under his spell? Is that what I'm hearing?" he said, not exspecting Christine to do what she did next. She walked up to him and slapped him.

Everyone just stood there in shock. Christine's eyes held anger and bitterness towards Raoul as she said, "He is no monster. He is more of a man then you will ever be." Erik felt his heart fill with joy when Chrisitne said that. He knew that she wasn't lying when she said she loved him. Raoul felt tears slide down his cheek. Why had his Little Lottie just insulted him so? He looked into her eyes and didn't see the loving ones that he had seen on the rooftop. No, these ones were cold and heartless.

He looked over at Erik and nodded, telling Erik to release him. He wasn't about to give up on her, not yet. He scampered off, away from the Phantom and Christine. He was going to tell the mob to go somewhere else by misleading them. He wasn't going to allow them to hurt Christine for trying to protect _him_. He ran off and did exactly what he had planned.


	2. Changes

**Chapter Two: Changes**

Erik turned to look at Christine. She smiled and walked over to him, tears stinging her eyes. He knew that sending Raoul away was one of the most hurtful things that had been done to her in her lifetime. Wrapping his arms around Christine, she began to cry. The shouting of the mob had all but disappeared and Erik wondered if Raoul had anything to do with it. He brushed away the thought and held Chrisitne while she cried, whispering sweet things into her ear to calm her.

She smiled up at him and kissed him, this time with more passion the never before. Erik pulled her closer and there was no room in between their bodies. He moved his hand up and down her back, causing shivers to run through Christine's spine. He gently pulled away, not wanting to start something she wouldn't conclude.

Chrisitne felt hurt. Did he not want her as much as she wanted him? He turned his back to her, trying to control his body. "Erik?" she asked, placing a small hand on his arm. He turned to her, his expression blank. "Yes?" Christine looked at him with worried eyes. "Erik, why did you turn away?" she asked, moving closer to him.

"Christine, I don't believe we should do this right now," he said. She looked up at him and nodded. "I'm sorry to disappoint you," he said, once she had turned away. She turned her head back around. "You could never disappoint me," she said, cupping his face in her hands. Erik smiled, a thing he never thought he would do after Chrisitne had pulled his mask from his face in front of the audience. He closed his eyes at the memory.

Christine smiled at him and took his hand. He followed her absentmindly as she led him towards the bedroom. She wasn't going to try anything, but she thought they would be more comfortable if they were laying down. Pulling him over to the bed, he instantly began to protest. "Chrisitne, I can't-" she silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I'm not going to try anything."

He sighed and watched as she lied down on the bed and looked up at him. It was clear that she wanted to spend this time with him, just to have him hold her throughout the night. Erik took off his boots and gently settled himself in bed next to Christine. She moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest. Neither of them were getting any sleep, so Erik gingerly picked up Christine's left hand and looked at the ring she had on.

He frowned at it, remembering how he had snatched it from her neck during the Masquerade. Christine seemed to sense his uneasyness and moved closer to him, her hand lazily drawing circles on his chest. Erik had begun to stroke her hand now, but when he touched the ring, he let out a low growl. Christine looked up at him with a furrowed brow. "What?" she asked, not certain why Erik would be growling at his engagement ring.

"The first thing I'm doing when we leave is buy you a new ring," he said. Christine thought this over and then it clicked in her head. "Yes, I think it would be proper for a man to buy an engagement ring for his bride," she said, happy that she hadn't done anything wrong. She sighed and continued to run her hand along his chest. She moved her hand upwards and started to caress Erik's face, her hand making the sensative skin of his right side tickle. He let out a sigh and Christine then noticed how tired she was.

Erik got more comfortable and nestled his face in her lovely brown locks, smelling he lovely scent of her. Christine was doing the same thing, except she was nuzzling his neck. Erik's hand came up and began to run up and down her back, sending shivers down her spine. He felt Christine give a shudder of pleasure and stopped what he was doing. He did not want this to go where it was going.

It wasn't that he didn't love Christine, as he did love her so much it hurt. He was just scared, terrified actually. He had never experienced the joys of the flesh before, and he didnt want to disappoint Christine. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about it. When he finally heard her breaths get longer and heavier, he knew that she was sound asleep. His eyelids felt heavy and he didn't try to deny sleep any longer. The last thought he had was that tomorrow was going to be a whole new day.

xXx

Christine opened her eyes and immedeatly remembered last night. She smiled and lifted her head off of Erik's chest. Turnin her head so that she could look at him, she noticed that he didn't have his mask on. She felt the need to reach out and caress the marred flesh, but decided against it, he needed sleep. She sat up and looked about the room.

Noticing that it was almost completely dark, save for a few candles, she very quietly got out of bed and began to search for something to light the other candes with.

xXx

Erik had exspected to awake to find Christine in his arms, but in the back of his mind he knew he wouldn't. A monster like himself would never awake in the arms of an angel. He slowly opened his eyes and turned over to find Christine. He reached his arm out to touch her, but what he touched made his heart rip in half.

He had touched the red silk of his covers. Chrisitne wasn't there. She had left him! He sat there a moment, in shock. 'See, a monster like you never gets what he wants!' his inner voice screamed at him. "No! NO! Christine didn't leave me! She wouldnt...couldn't," his voice broke into sobs as reality crashed down on his shoulders. He should have never opened his heart to her!

His sobs echoed off of the walls of his Lair and Christine nearly dropped the candle she was using to light the others. 'Why is Erik crying?' she asked herself, setting down the candle and basicly running into his bedroom.

Erik looked up at Christine with shocked eyes. Was she really still here? Or was this another evil dream? Christine rushed over to him and emraced him in a tight hug, which Erik willing fell into her arms. He was a sobbing mess and Christine wanted to know why. "What's wrong, my love?" she asked. This only made his cry harder.

He looked up at Christine and she captured his lips in a passionte kiss. She pulled away and looked into his eyes, but found that he had them closed. She waited patiently for him to notice that she had stopped kissing him, but he didn't open his eyes. Christine took this as a sign and kissed him again. This time, it was Erik who pulled away.

"Christine, I-I thought...y-you le-left me," he said, beginning to cry once more. Christine pulled him into another tight hug and getnly began rocking him back and forth, whispering soothing things into his ear. Erik continued to cry and now Christine knew why he had started. It was her fault, she shouldn't have left to go find some meanings of light, Erik would have done that when he awoke. "I will never leave you, my love. I couldn't live without you," she whispered into his ear, making him relax a little more.

"I don't deserve you, Christine. I've hurt you so much, and now I just feel guilty taking you away from Raoul," he said, finally letting out what had been eating at him. Christine didn't falter in rocking him gently, but said in a serious tone, "What Raoul and I shared was nothing more then sibling love. There was nothing between us but childhood memories."

Erik sighed and looked up and into the caring eyes of his angel. Christine brought her hands up to his face and traced his jawline. She was going to try and be everything Erik thought she was. Erik sensed what she was getting at and that all to familiar feeling took over; fear. He swallowed and Christine almost laughed. She could always tell what his emotions were by looking into his stunning greenish-blue eyes. She could tell he was afriad, but she would change that.


End file.
